Prelude to a Thaw
by paynesgrey
Summary: There's a fire alarm in Mac's dorm, and Weevil is falsely accused. Did she really need a reason to help him? MacWeevil. Oneshot


AN: Taken place sometime in Season 3. Done for a challenge prompt at Livejournal.

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_"The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of." Blaise Pascal_

Prelude to a Thaw

A loud screech invaded her ears and woke her with a start. Mac blinked several times, retaining clear vision and recognizing the piercing sound. She sighed and looked to Parker's empty room and wasn't surprised that she had to endure another fire alarm alone.

Groaning, she tied her robe and slipped her feet into some flats as she headed out the door. She grabbed her keys, locking the door and then watching all the other annoyed girls on her floor leaving their rooms. Mac noticed the faint smell of smoke in the air, mixed with incense and traces of marijuana. She rolled her eyes.

'Not Catie again,' she thought to herself. And before her mind could meander any longer, she was rushed out with the girls of her hall in an orderly fashion down the fire escape. Nobody panicked, but everyone was sleepy and annoyed. More than anything, the people on her floor were getting used to the fire alarms.

The funny thing was the person usually responsible had never been punished – or even accused for that matter.

'I guess that's what happens when you're friends with the RA,' Mac thought to herself.

Still, it did not change the fact that Catie's ways often interrupted the sleep and study habits of many, and it was unfair she always got away with it. Mac furrowed her brow and pursed her lips. 'I wonder who the scapegoat will be this time.'

Led onto the campus, the girls hovered around each other several safe feet away as the fire department went in for a sweep of the building. Mac began to drown out the chatter of girls and then swayed on her heels from boredom.

Sighing, she looked around at everyone, trying to find if Catie was among them so she could glare at her, sparingly, and hope a lightning bolt would randomly shoot from the sky and hit her, without harming anyone else, of course.

And while that thought made her smile, Mac was still bored, waiting like everyone else for the fire department let them back inside. Her gaze began to filter around, and then she noticed someone out of place among the group of girls.

He made eye contact with her just as her gaze fell upon him. "Hey…" she said. She remembered this guy; she had tutored him in high school for math, and his name was Weevil. She gave a quick, full body glance and noticed his maintenance attire. 'He worked for Hearst?' She might have heard that somewhere, but she didn't know if Veronica was the one who mentioned it.

"Hey…" he said, nodding to her. Mac was about to stroll over to him to converse, but then her hall director rushed in front of her. Surprisingly enough, she was heading toward Weevil as well. Mac's eyes widened to the angry look on her face, and then she saw Weevil puff up his chest, ready for action.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

"Ma'am?" Weevil asked. He seemed confused by her behavior, but his disposition was a little more than annoyed. After all, he'd spent his whole life with people accusing him of things. More often then naught, he was guilty, and Mac knew that it was probably hard for him to seem innocent to anyone.

"You were smoking on our floor. I know your type, and I know you were hanging around doing whatever!" She flew her hands in the air and then pointed at him again. "And I bet the other fire drills were your doing as well!"

"You're wrong, ma'am. I was on the floor, but I was only doing some routine maintenance on the girls' bathroom. One of the toilets clogged, and I was called in to fix it," Weevil intoned seriously, giving her a hard look. Obviously, the woman's accusations were doing nothing to lull his Latin temper.

"And… you were probably smoking while doing it weren't you?" She smacked her hands on her hips and looked around in exasperation at the girls watching the scene. "This is just great."

"Ma'am, look…" And Mac saw Weevil take a deep breath, struggling to control his temper while he was on duty. "I was not smoking, and most definitely not in the dorms."

She shook her head, obviously not convinced. Mac looked at the scene with mixed feelings of shock and anger. How could this woman accuse Weevil like that? Mac knew exactly whose actions triggered that alarm, and Weevil was innocent! As she watched the scene, Mac caught a glance at Catie in the corner of her eye, who watched the scene with mirth that someone else would get blamed for her crime.

And before the hall director could lay into Weevil again, Mac felt like she had to do something. She wouldn't tattle on Catie, but there was no way she could let Weevil get blamed for something so silly.

He could lose his job.

"Mrs. Rapple, wait!" Mac yelled, getting everyone's attention.

"Yes, Ms. Mackenzie, what is it?" she seemed annoyed at the interruption.

'Think, Mac, think, and remember not to seem familiar with Weevil to make a strong case,' Mac said to herself, sounding more like Veronica.

"He… he wasn't smoking. The alarm… probably went off…" She paused, and then licked her lips as everyone watched her. "It went off because I was burning a candle."

The crowd collectively groaned at her revelation. She knew right now she was getting the dirtiest looks ever. And even if it _was_ a lie, she could still endure it. Weevil was being wrongfully accused, Catie was having a hay day for not getting caught, and the teacher would probably try to get him fired.

"Ms. Mackenzie," she intoned. "You know it's against regulations to burn incense or candles. You do understand you will be fined for this?"

Mac nodded. What was a little fine when she spared an innocent man from getting fired?

Suddenly, the hall director turned around as a fire fighter came to signal them back inside. "Alright, everyone, let's get going back inside."

The group sauntered back inside, many of them shot her nasty looks while others just seemed to yawn it off. Mac caught one girl saying, "Ugh, I'm just glad to get out of the room for a moment. My brain was turning to mush from all the studying!"

After hearing that, Mac seemed relieved. She stood behind, waiting for everyone else to go inside ahead of her. She'd rather not get caught up in the group where people could give her some vengeful arm jabs.

"Why'd you do that?" She turned around, and she realized that Weevil was still there, waiting with her.

"Oh! What do you mean?" She looked away, a flush erupting on her face as his dark eyes bore into her. Did she _need_ a reason to help him? She shrugged. "I just burned a candle. I figured once she was ready to skin you alive, it was time to confess."

"Hm…" Weevil said nodding, but the look he gave her didn't seem convinced. "You know, I don't know why you did it, but thanks, for whatever reason."

"For what? Confessing?" she asked him, trying to deter the subject. She started to walk toward the building, and he walked beside her.

"No, for lying," Weevil replied. "I'm not stupid. I smelled it too."

Mac grunted and rolled her eyes. "So, Catie got away with smoking pot again. Big deal. I'd rather get blamed than you."

"But why?" Weevil touched her arm, and instinctively, she shied away. She stopped and looked at him. His face seemed softer, and his eyes were melting into her soul again. Idly, she focused on his long thick eyelashes when he blinked. 'It's a crime when a man has nice lashes like that.' She blushed, feeling awkwardness in her chest she couldn't describe.

'Damn, still frozen,' she cursed to her libido, but Weevil's interested stare did make her blood simmer. A little.

He was waiting for her to answer, and when she stalled by admiring his features, he looked away and harrumphed. "Fine. It's alright." He looked at her again and smiled boyishly. "You did me a favor tonight. I won't forget it."

She didn't know what he meant, but his smile was infectious. She lifted her chin challengingly. "Oh yeah? Does that mean you 'owe' me?"

He sniggered. He touched her arm, and she didn't react. She let it rest there as Weevil bent in close to her face. He whispered huskily, "We'll see about that. I _always _pay back my favors." He winked at her, and Mac's eyes widened as he walked away.

Then suddenly, deep inside her she could feel the ice begin to thaw, melting over her heated heart.

At first, she didn't know the reason to _why_ she helped him. But watching him go, she remembered that boyish smile and dark enticing eyes – both awakening her dormant heart.

And then she knew that was reason enough.


End file.
